NASA’s X-59 Surpasses Mach 1 on First Supersonic Flight
TL;DR Summary
NASA announced that Lockheed Martin’s X-59 QueSST demonstrator achieved its first supersonic flight on June 5, 2026, reaching Mach 1.077 at about 43,400 feet (13,228 m) with a top speed of 713 mph during an Edwards Air Force Base test flight that lasted 81 minutes. The mission, part of NASA’s Quiet Supersonic Technology (Quesst) program, aims to develop a “quiet” supersonic tech that minimizes sonic booms so commercial flights over land could become viable; future test flights will push toward Mach 1.4 at higher altitude to collect data for regulators and help establish new noise standards.
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